Norway Military Tattoo 2012 in Oslo

Norwegian Military Tattoo, the biggest indoor event in Norway, draws multinational crowds of military music fans each year. This year marked its 10th anniversary with nearly 1,000 participants and 20 000 spectators turned out for the rousing band and precision drill performances.
The set in Oslo Spektrum Arena was a recreation of Akershus Fortress and the show was filled with spectacular entertainment. It is a colourful family-show featuring the leading military bands of the world as well as acrobatics, singing, dancing, drill and a competition between the military academies. Features on stage this year include e.g. the US Air Force Honor Guard’s Drill Team’s weapon manoeuvres show, an Irish dance show from The Emerald Isle Irish Dance Team, the Top Secret Drum Corps from Switzerland and not to forget Republic of Korea Ministry of National Defense Traditional Band:
Every year when we watch it on TV, I always say: we have to go next time and this year we made it thanks to my wife’s good planning as she bought tickets just before it was sold out. As much as I would like to, it’s almost impossible to describe, recreate or set the scene in words. However, since you know I love to share magic moments like this with you, I used my mobile phone, trying to capture the atmosphere. So out of 55 min film and 50 photos, I’ve made a movie to give you a taste. Before you click to enjoy, let me just share what I think was a special highlight this year:

“Some heroes do not die even if they sleep in”This was the comment of the Chief of the National Guard, Kristin Lund, on the passing away of Norway’s Second World War hero Gunnar “Kjakan” Sønsteby. The Military Tattoo this year had a very special performance in remembrance of this great Norwegian citizen who passed away only days before. Kjakan is known for his central participation in the Norwegian resistance fighters during the Second World War, but his service did not end there. He dedicated the rest of his lift to using the experiences from the war to be an important mediator in the aftermath, and as a living story teller to keep the history alive for future generations in order to stop anything like this from happening again. Sønsteby was important for the new generations after the war. The numerous lectures he gave in retrospect, has been important for shaping the values of the younger generation. Those of us who were born after the war have been told, based on his experience, how important it is to preserve democracy and respect it. He meant a lot to us as a nation.
The photo above is one I shot when the movie “Max Manus” was made some years ago in Oslo. It’s all about the resistance movements from the Second World War. Click to read my post from it: Max Manus with War and Peace in Oslo Norway

And then, as promised; here is the movie from this year’s tattoo – enjoy!